FF/UMEC/VI and BUD/GLY/FORM in Patients with COPD Stepping Up from Dual Therapy Stratified by Exacerbations and Prior Dual Therapy: A Subgroup Analysis of a Comparative Effectiveness Study

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

INTRODUCTION: Three previous publications have reported real-world comparative effectiveness of fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI) and budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate (BUD/GLY/FORM) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the USA. This subgroup analysis assessed treatment with FF/UMEC/VI and BUG/GLY/FORM in patients with COPD who stepped up from dual therapy, stratified by number of prior exacerbations and class of prior dual therapy. Results are presented as events per patient year (PPY) and rate ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Approximately 14,000 patients contributed to this analysis, 10,093 FF/UMEC/VI and 3926 BUD/GLY/FORM initiators. Baseline characteristics were well balanced following PS weighting. Step-up to FF/UMEC/VI was associated with a statistically significant reduction in moderate-severe exacerbations compared with step-up to BUD/GLY/FORM irrespective of exacerbation history: no prior exacerbation, n = 7235, 0.48 vs 0.56 PPY, RR [95% CI] 0.86 [0.77, 0.95], P = 0.003; ≥ 1 prior exacerbation, n = 6784, 1.14 vs 1.41 PPY, RR [95% CI] 0.81 [0.74, 0.87], P < 0.001. Step-up to FF/UMEC/VI was also associated with a statistically significant reduction in moderate-severe exacerbations compared with step-up to BUD/GLY/FORM across both subgroups of prior dual therapy: LAMA/LABA, n = 5717, 0.71 vs 0.95 PPY; RR [95% CI] 0.75 [0.67, 0.83], P < 0.001; ICS/LABA, n = 8302, 0.85 vs 0.99 PPY; RR [95% CI] 0.86 [0.79, 0.93], P < 0.001. CONCLUSION: Patients newly initiating FF/UMEC/VI following prior treatment with ICS/LABA or LAMA/LABA experienced a significantly lower rate of moderate-severe COPD exacerbations than those newly initiating BUD/GLY/FORM irrespective of number of prior exacerbations or prior dual therapy class.